Improvement in safety-lamps



A. H EMERY.

Safety Lamp.

Patented Dec. 2 9, 1868.

m. Washingwn. n. c.

may

A. H. EMERY, on NEW YORKMN. Y;

Letters Patent No. 85,373, dated December 29, 1868.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and. making part of thesame.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, A. H. EMERY, of the city, county, and State of NewYork, have invented a new and improved Safety-Lamp; and I (lo-herebydeclare that the following is a full and exact description thereof,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters ofreference marked thereon.

The nature of my invention consists in providing for all lamps, whichburn kerosene-oil, burning-fluid, or any oil which generates vapors at atemperature at which the oil is liable to be heated in the lamp whileburning, a tube-outlet for these vapors, where they may pass to theflame, the tube being provided with two or more diaphragms of fine-wiregauze, fastened therein without the aid of solder, (which is liable tobe melted-in the use of the .lamp,) by means of an innercompressing-tube or ring, which serves by its friction to hold thediaphragms in their places. These diaphragms allow the air to pass intothe lamp, or vapors to pass out and burn, but will not allow of thepassage of any flame into the lamp, to cause explosion.

To enable others skilled in the art to make use of my invention, I willproceed to describe the precise construction and operation.

First, I would state that of all the various grades of kerosene-oils andtheir mixtures, together with all of the various kinds ofilluminating-material known under the name of burning-fluids, not one ofthem separately, or in combination with each other, is explosive at anytemperature, but all and each of them, either separately or incombination with each other, will, at some temperature, generate vapors,which, when mixed with atmospheric air in certain proportions, formexplosive mixtures. Many of the mixtures of kerosene-oihand most oftheburning-fluids, give ofi vapor at the common temperature of theatmosphere. Kerosene-oil, properly prepared for burning-purposes, willnot give ofi" the vapors at ordinary temperatures, or at a temperatureof less than 120 Fahrenheit; but most of the oil in market .gives oflvapors at a less temperature than theone here mentioned. But even ifthey do not, explosion must sometimes occur with their use, for thereason that the burner becomes heated to a degree much above this, andoften, from this cause, throws vapors down into the air, which is abovethe oil in the lamp, and thus forms an explosive mixture, which may passup beside the wick or other opening, when, if ignited, flame may becommunicated to the explosive mixture within thelamp.

In the drawings 7 Figure 1 shows a sectional .elevation of the lamp,with a burner of my invention, to prevent the explo- 'sion of anymixture inside thereof;

Figure 2 shows a plan of the same; and

Figures 3 and 4, an elevation and plan ofv another burner, somewhatmodified.

Like figures represent like parts. 7

A is the body of the lamp, partially filled with the oil B.

O is the wick.

D, the cap, containing the burner-tube or wick-tube E, and safety-tubeF. i

The safety-tube F contains two or more diaphragms, G, which are finelyperforated so as to permit a free circulation of the air and vapors, butwill not allow flame to pass through it. v

. 'lhis tube F may be made long or short, and placed above or below theburner-plate D, or both, as desired. In it I fasten the diaphragm G, byone tube slipped tightly inside of the other, as shown in figs. l and 2,where the diaphragm G is, a little cap of wire gauze put loosely overthe end of the tube, before it (the inside tube) is pressed into theother, and, when in place, the friction from the inner and outer tubesholds the diaphragm in place.

The method of putting in the diaphragm without solder, or by use of theinner tube H, will be better understood by means of Figures 5 and fi,showing the tubes F and H, and diaphragn'r G, on' a larger scale.

If solder is used to fasten the diaphragms, it is liable to be melted inthe ordinary use of the lamp, and so loosen the diaphragm's.

I am aware that others have used atube with onediaphragm fastened in itwith solder, or have used a wire diaphragm soldered, anda small hole toprevent explosion, but the use ofa tube with two diaphragms is much tobe preferred, for with the tube, and two or more diaphragms in it, wewill not be troubled with the oil slopping out. through it, and if anyexplosive vapors pass out through it, they will be immediately ignitedby flame from the wick, and be burned for light, instead of beingscattered loosely through the an:

One diaphragm maybe sufficient protection against the passage of flame,but it is not sutficient to prevent the oil or fluid being slopped outwhen the lamp is carelessly handled, as is often the case.

I- have also "provided a filling-tube on the same principle, to be usedin filling the lamp through which the lamp may be filled while burning,without dangerto the lamp-where I is the tube, G, the diaphragm of wiregauze, and H, the ring which fastens it in. K is the cap which stops itup, when n'otbeing used.

I-may use one or more diaphragms G in this tube, as Iprefer.

What I desire to claim, and secure by Letters Patcut; is. I

The method of fastening the diaphragms G in the tube F, by means of theinner tubes or rings H, substantially as and for the purposeshereinrlescn'bed and set forth.

Witnesses:

LoUIs KOLBER, HUGO Lumronoox;

A. H. EMERY.

